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Topic Review (Newest First)

05-07-2003 02:53 PM

Olyfly

SH69,
take care of yourself.... get healthy first and then go rip some lip!
-Oly

05-06-2003 03:25 AM

Steelheader69

Sorry Oly

Wish I had some reports for you. But this has been my worst year (August of 2002 to present) for fishing since the day I started fishing back in 1973. Been hurt, and my injury has left me almost completely unable to fish, and not able to work at all. Been on light duty in the office until Feb, home ever since. But hard to even get the rod out and hit the spots. In too much pain simply from using my bad arm for doing the double hauling.

Normally, I'm fishing 4-5 of my working days. I normally always carry some sort of fly rod with me in my UPS truck. I rarely fish the popular spots (Olalla by Al's, Purdy Spit) since I have access to a ton of private beaches. But, haven't been out there much at all. Have been VERY successful the days I have fished (am averaging about 3 landed fish per trip on average). Had an awesome time in Nov/Dec fishing chums on Minter. But, it sucked, after a few battles, I was ready to stop. Had a 20 chum day, and was doped up on heavy prescription percocet for then next couple days to recoup. I hurt so bad JUST REELING!!!!

I know most of the places I fish out there are normally open year around. Haven't checked the new regs yet since I can't really fish anyways. But I know I've caught SRC's and Coho all year around, and primarily the most in months of Dec/Jan (which sucks because Dec is busiest time of year for a UPS driver lol).

05-05-2003 02:37 PM

Olyfly

It was a smooth, well-healed, missing adipose fin. Looked exactly like the pen stock choho we pick up here in the South Sound.

By the way, any reports as of late - either SRC's or coho??? It's getting that time, and I'm dying to get the boat out.

-Olyfly

04-26-2003 02:56 PM

Steelheader69

WHen you say fin clipped

Do you mean adipose, or one of the ventral fins? Sometimes, do to unexplained acts, a wild fish can lose it's adipose. If it's one of the other fins, well that's a different case (but could be an accident as well by a predator or swimming through an obstruction).

I know there is a good run of resident coho's throughout puget sound. I only fish around Vashon and around all the inlets of Gig Harbor/Key Peninsula. But I know I can catch a coho or SRC almost all year around. They don't get to substantial size as I'll catch over on coastal rivers, but they're still nice fish nonetheless. Luckily, I have access to alot of private beaches, so I get some prime spots most bankers don't see. Perks of my job. :hehe:

But, depends on which fin was gone, and how the body looked around it. Was there any damage, or was it clean and well healed? I know I've seen fish brought in that had all fins attached and the fishchecker found tags in heads (making it a hatchery). Hard to say reversal though. I guess if you took scale samples and sent to a lab, they could tell you if this fish was a resident or hatchery.

I'm no scientist though. I just love to fish.

04-24-2003 11:34 AM

ramon vb

I believe the local Puget Sound Anglers chapter on Whidbey Island runs (or at least used to) a resident coho netpen operation in one of the lagoons on the western side of the Island. I would guess that's what you saw. There's also a slight possibility it could be a hatchery coho released from a WDFW facility that decided to residualize in the Sound, or is trying to put on some fat before heading out to the ocean.

Unfortunately, WDFW only has a marginal grip on what hatchery fish do and where they go once they're released. The majority head for the ocean, and the small percentage that survive return as adults, most returning to the hatchery, many straying to other systems. But many of the released juveniles may either stay in the freshwater, or residualize in the estuary/nearshore habitats around the Sound. It can be good for the beach fishing, but probably not so good for wild cutthroat, salmon, or steelhead juveniles that may be attempting to rear in the same habitats.

04-22-2003 06:18 PM

Olyfly

Nice Surprise

A report and a question for you salt water oriented folks. A week or two ago I spent part of spring break with the family up on Whidbey Island. We stayed in a cabin on the South-East side along Saratoga Passage. One gorgeous morning we explored the tide flats with the kids - sinking in the sand, digging up clams, picking up tiny crabs out from under the rocks and from the small tide pools/puddles, and of course collecting pile worms and sand shrimp for fishing later that day. All the while I was scanning the beach - a good portion of which was covered with rocks, barnacles, and some eel grass - thinking about the opportunities for sea-run cutties.

The late afternoon high tide finally came about and I set the kids up on the bulk head casting bait under bobbers. I didn't have great expectations. Just was hoping to get them hooked up with a bull head or flounder. Didn't pull out my fly gear as I was moving from one kid to the next baiting hooks, pulling seaweed off lines, and helping them cast. After a bit, much to my 6-year old daughter's surprise her bobber took a dunk and started off towards the deep water. She shrieks, but manages to do a good job getting the fish under control. When I finally get to her she's making progress on the little one. I'm thinking flounder at this point but see a bright flash. I immediately change gears as now I'm thinking that she's hooked a reasonable size SRC and I want to help her land it with a little more finesse. Together, and with the help of her older brother, younger brother, and a few other kids standing nearby we land the fish which turned out to be a nice healthy 16 inch Coho!

So now the question... The Coho, to my surprise, was fin clipped. First of all, I wasn't expecting to pick up a resident Coho up there. I've caught cutties in the past but no Coho's. On top of that I was surprised to see the adipose fin missing. Could this have been one of the long lost South-Sound Coho's? Have any of you seen these fish that far up the sound? just wondering... also, if you do think it came from the south end program, I'd appreciate a refresh on the data collection contact.